Masterpieces of KNM
- Buddhist Paintings
- Illustrated Handscrolls
- Portraiture
- Medieval Ink Paintings
- Momoyama-Edo Paintings
- Chinese Paintings
- Calligraphy
- Metalwork
- Lacquerware
- Textiles and Costumes
- Ceramics
- Archaeological Relics
- Sculpture
Attributed to Taira-no-Shigemori

These paintings are attributed to Fujiwara Takanobu, an accomplished likeness painter. They differ from ordinary nise-e (likeness paintings), which were usually painted on small-size paper.
The square shoulders and straight sleeves of the formal court costumes form a triangular and stable composition, creating a dignified atmosphere. These portraits reflect a new trend in art, entirely different from the prevailing aestheticism during the cloistered government period. The designs of arabesque vines on the ho (formal court robes) show a freshness without formalism or deformation. The subtle, three-dimensional expressions of the faces reflect the trend towards realism in the early Kamakura Period.
These works are, without question, the finest existing masterpieces of early Kamakura Period yamato-e portraiture.
Two hanging scrolls, color on silk
Proportions:
(Shigemori) 143.0 x 111.2 cm
Kamakura Period (13th Century)
National Treasure
(Jingo-ji Temple, Kyoto)